The recently published research report, The Role of Competencies in Driving Financial Performance, shows a clear correlation between the competencies used in performance reviews and business outcomes such as financial performance, employee retention, business resilience and profitability.

For example, fast-growing high-technology organizations manage and value “innovation” and “creativity” much more heavily than low-growth companies in the same industry sector. Successful retail organizations heavily value “teamwork” as a critical competency.

Using actual usage data from more than 300,000 performance appraisals, the research shows how four different industries (manufacturing, high technology, retail, and financial services) use competencies in their talent management processes.

Some of the findings include:

• There is no single approach. Effective competency-based performance management varies widely by industry, market maturity, and a company’s phase of growth.
• Growth-oriented organizations commonly focus on strategic competencies to drive leadership behavior.
• Organizations in lower growth markets typically focus on general management behaviors.
• High-performance organizations value competencies that build organizational capabilities.
• Lower-performing organizations focus on competencies that build individual capabilities.

Learn more: Register today for this week’s webinar detailing key findings.

Research Members: Visit the research center to download the study today.
Non-members: This report is available to non-members for a limited time; download today.

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The report, Technology in Extended Enterprise Education, describes how three major companies have used technology to bring new innovation and increased efficiencies to customer and partner training.

In recent years, organizations have begun to revamp customer, partner, and channel training in efforts to increase revenue and customer satisfaction and improve operations. Technology solutions such as LMSs and LCMSs are behind many of the most successful programs.

This report documents the business impact of well-strategized and executed training programs for extended learning audiences. The reportincludes examples from NCR, Fidelity, and a large enterprise software company which we cannot name.

The best practices, organizational models, and pricing strategies in this report will give you fresh ideas about increasing the efficiency of your own customer and partner training initiatives. Below are several samples of the information you’ll find in this 56-page study include:

• How a centralized enterprise LCMS can help to repurpose instructional information and adapt it to a variety of information needs and deliveries – both for internal and external training.
• The creation of a centralized team of instructional designers, which serves as a shared resource and works with the company’s internal learning and customer training organizations.
• The use of role-based training curricula that matches learning resources to an individual’s specific job experience and needs. The technology used allows for very detailed matching, with only a 1 in 85,000 chance that two learners will receive identical curricula.
• A multiple-tiered customer training program that encompasses webinars, recorded classes, virtual classes, one-on-one instruction, and regional instructor-led courses. The strategy offers customers flexibility, immediate access to job- specific training, extensive free resources, and multiple pricing levels for higher levels of training.

Learn more: Register today for this week’s webinar detailing key findings.

Research Members: Visit the research center to download your copy today.
Non-members: This report is available to non-members for a limited time. Register to download today.

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Meet the 2006 Learning Leaders
[Elearning! Magazine]

This article highlights the 14 Learning Leaders for 2006. Find out who this year's winners are...

The War for Talent
[Elearning! Magazine]

The "war for talent" will require changes in organizational structures, technologies, priorities and practices. Read the full article online.

Leadership Development: Moving from Priority to Action
[Chief Learning Officer]

A 2005 survey conducted by Bersin & Associates found organizations spend as much as 30 percent of their corporate training dollars on leadership development. Around the globe, virtually all market sectors predict shortages of qualified leaders. Find out how you can increase the effectiveness of your organization’s leadership development programs. Read the article online.

LCMS Adoption Trend
[Training Magazine]

With a wide variety of solutions on the market, how can organizations go about selecting the right LCMS? As a first step, it's important for training managers to look closely at their needs for content development, collaboration among content teams, and enterprise content management. Read the full article online.

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WEBINARS

The Corporate Learning Factbook:
Benchmarks of the U.S. Corporate Learning & Development Market
January 17, 2007, 2:00 p.m. ET
Karen O'Leonard, Senior Analyst

Get a sneak peak! This webinar will present findings from the 2007 Corporate Learning Factbook®, scheduled for publication in February. Be the first to hear the latest trends in training budgets, staffing, and technology adoption in corporate learning. The Factbook is one of our most popular research reports; your entire staff should attend this presentation. Register for this event

The Role of Competencies in Driving Financial Performance
January 18, 2007, 2:00 p.m. ET
Josh Bersin, President, Bersin & Associates
Erik Berggren, Director of Customer Results, SuccessFactors

This presentation will highlight new research on the use of competencies in high-performance corporations. (See article above.) Based on actual usage data provided by SuccessFactors, this research is highly valuable for HR and L&D professionals thinking through their talent and performance management strategies. Register for this event.

Using Technology to Increase the Success of Customer and Partner Education
January 18, 2007, 1:00 p.m. ET
Chris Howard, Principal Analyst

Howard recently completed an extensive analysis of firms using technology as an integral component of customer and partner training initiatives. (See article above.) The presentation will cover the business benefits achieved through an extended enterprise training strategy; key steps to developing such a strategy; best practices; and examples from Fidelity, NCR, and others. Register for this event.

Building and Managing Learning Content:
What’s Right for Your Organization?
February 13, 2007, 1:30 p.m. ET
February 15, 2007, 8:30 a.m. ET
Chris Howard, Principal Analyst

Effectively building and managing content is at the heart of any successful learning initiative. The learning content maturity model describes five levels for building and delivering learning content and other types of knowledge assets. The model establishes a framework for assessing an organization’s capacity and for determining if, when, and how you should your organization to a higher maturity level to meet even more complex information management demands. This webinar will help you to understand the different maturity levels for building and managing content; common challenges and strategies at each level; and how to assess the maturity level that’s right for your organization. Register for the 2-13 event. Register for the 2-15 event.

High-Impact Leadership Development
February 15, 2007, 1:00 p.m. ET
Josh Bersin, President
Kim Lamoureux, Senior Analyst

Leadership development is the foundation for management training, succession planning, executive education, and talent management. This webinar will cover key findings from Bersin & Associates’ ongoing research, including different maturity levels for leadership development; specific strategies and tactics to move leadership programs up the maturity model; and six best practices of highly effective leadership development programs. Register for this event.

Missed it live? Research members can view all recorded webinars by clicking on the links below. Not a member? Sign up for a trial membership today.

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On-Demand Learning: HP Enhances Global Sales Force Training with Performance Support
This case study describes HP’s transition from formal classroom training, e-learning and manuals to an on- demand learning approach -- with the goal of improving global sales efficiency and growth. Download today.

The Role of Competencies in Driving Financial Performance
This research analyzes the role that corporate competencies play in performance management in the financial services, high technology, manufacturing and retail industries. Download today.

Enterprise Learning and Talent Management 2007: Trends, Areas of Focus and Predictions for 2007
This report summarizes Bersin & Associates major research findings in 2006 and offers perspectives for 2007. Download today.

Technology in Extended Enterprise Education
Learn how three companies effectively use technology to manage the training of customers and business partners. The white paper examines the situations they faced -- and how they effectively applied technology to address their challenges. Download today.

Virtual Classroom Technology: Hitachi Data Systems Establishes Virtual Instructor-Led Training
Learn how Hitachi Data Systems established a framework for developing and delivering virtual instructor-led training programs (vILT), including process flow, best practices, and instructional guidelines and recommendations. Download today.

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Budget and Staffing Trends for Corporate Training
And What They Mean to You for 2007
This research bulletin discusses several documented trends for corporate learning and analyzes how these may apply to companies in 2007. The data is taken from the Bersin & Associates research report, The Corporate Learning Factbook® 2007. Download today.

Podcasting: A New Technology for Learning
Learn how podcasting can be a useful component of learning programs. Download today.

Rethinking the Content Integration Challenge: Plateau’s iContent
Get an overview of Plateau’s latest offering and its potential impact on Plateau’s current customer base and the learning market. Download today.

Leadership Development in Business Services
This research bulletin discusses a business services firm’s learning model for developing leaders at all levels and summarizes key best practices. Download today.

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Bersin & Associates launches its new talent management newsletter later this month.